Water unicycle



w. E. NILSSON 2,169,391

WATER UNICYCLE Filed Jan. 31, 1939 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES i ATENT OFFIQE 3 Claims.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improvement in unicycles whereby they are adapted for use in the water for sports, amusement, fishing, water polo, and the like, and which,

6 when used, will stand upright and support a person in the upright position.

The invention is a unicycle embodying a rela tively large tubular wheel with a weighted keel extending downward therefrom, and with a seat and rotating means extending upward, in which the wheel has sufiicient buoyancy to support a person on the seat, and the keel is sufficient to hold the seat in an upright position.

Two-wheel water bicycles have been provided, and somewhat similar devices have been used with weighted keels, however, any device has not been provided with a single, hollow wheel in which the wheel may be rotated for the propelling means, and which may be steered. by tilting from side to side in combination with the weight or pressure on the pedals, in which the entire device is supported in an upright position by a suspended weight forming a keel or balancing means.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to improve cycles of the type adapted to be used in the water, and, particularly, of the type having one wheel, such as a unicycle by providing means for positively holding the device upright with a person on the upper end.

Another object is to provide a unicycle with a relatively large inflated tire adapted to support a person in the water, and also with a keel adapted to hold the device upright.

Another object is to provide a relatively large y wheel adapted to float, with means for supporting the wheel in an upright position, and means for rotating the wheel.

A further object is to provide a unicycle having a large wheel adapted to float the unicycle, in which propelling means are provided on the wheel.

And a still further object is to provide a water unicycle which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these ends in view the invention embodies a relatively large wheel rotatably mounted in a frame, with a seat at the upper end of the frame, with sprockets, chains, and pedals by which the wheel may be rotated by a person on the seat, and a keel for balancing the device and holding the seat in an upright position.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following descritption taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view showing a side elevation of the device.

Figure 2 is a view showing a front elevation with the wheel shown in section, and showing an alternate design in which the outer surface of the wheel is smooth.

Figure 3 is a View similar to that shown in Figure 1, showing an alternate design in which the device is provided with a motor, and the keel is adjustable.

Figure 4 is a view looking toward the front of a device of an alternate design, in which two wheels are used.

Figure 5 is a View showing another alternate design, in which the frame is formed in a continuous yoke, with the seat and driving means at one end, and with the keel at the other.

Figure 6 is a cross section through part of a wheel of an alternate design, showing a solid wood or cork wheel.

Figure '7 is a similar view showing a hollow flanged wheel which may be made of metal or other suitable material.

In the drawing the device is shown as it may be made, wherein numeral I indicates the relatively large wheel, numeral 2, a seat, and numeral 3, a keel.

The frame is similar in the designs shown in Figures 1 and 2, except that the back of the seat is omitted, and, in this design, the frame is formed with an upright member 4, with the seat mounted on the upper end, and with pedals 5 and 6 on a shaft 1 with a sprocket 8 mounted on the shaft and driving another sprocket 9 through a chain ill, the sprocket 9 being on a 3 shaft II in a horizontal section l2 of the frame, and, on the opposite end of the shaft H is a sprocket H which drives a sprocket it on a shaft l4 through a chain l5, the shaft l4 being fixedly mounted in a hub E6 of the wheel I! in Figure 2, and 5 in Figure l, and it will be understood that the wheel may be in the form of a rubber tire mounted between clamping rings i8 and E9, or mounted in any suitable manner and adapted to be rotated with the shaft it with the pedals 5 and 6. The frame 4 is also provided with a vertical member 25] extending downward and supporting the shaft M through a bearing 2!.

The keel 3 is suspended from the shaft M by a yoke 22, and it will be noted that this may be rigidly attached to the yoke through a connection 23, or it may be adjustably mounted on the frame, as shown in Figure 3, in which the keel is indicated by the numeral 24, and this is supported by rods 25 at the sides, with a plurality of holes 26 therein through which they may be bolted to downwardly extending members 2'! of a frame 28, and it Will be noted that the holding screws or bolts 29 may be placed in different holes to raise or lower the keel or adjust the position thereof. The weight of the keel may also be varied, and in Figure 3 the keel is shown as provided with weights 30 on a screw 3! with a nut 32, so that the weights may be removed, or any number of weights may be applied to compensate for the weight of a person using the device.

It will be understood that other means may be used for adjusting the height of the keel or for adjusting the weight thereof.

Figure 3 also shows the device operated by a motor 33 in a housing 34, and this may rotate the wheel 35 similar to the wheel I through a chain 36 with sprockets 31 and 38 which may be geared to the motor through gears 39 and 49. This device may also be provided with a platform 4| as a rest for the feet, and this may or may not be used as may be desired.

In the design shown in Figure 4, the device is provided with two of the inflated wheels or wheels adapted to support the device in the water instead of the simple wheel shown in the former figures, and in this design the wheels are indicated by the numerals 42 and 43, and these are both supported on a shaft 44 mounted in a yoke 45 having a seat 46 at the upper end, and a keel 4! extending downward therefrom. The wheels 42 and 43 may be rotated by pedals 48 and 49 on a shaft 50 which drives the shaft 44 with a chain operating through sprockets 52 and 53.

In the design shown in Figure 5, the wheel 54, similar to the wheel l, is mounted in a complete frame 55 with a keel 55 at the lower end, and a seat 57 supported on a post 58 extending upward from the upper end of the yoke. In this design, the pedals 59 are mountedupon a shaft 60 with a sprocket 6| in a recess in the frame, and this sprocket drives a sprocket 62 through a suitable chain, and the sprocket 62 which is mounted on a shaft 63, drives a sprocket 64 which in turn drives a sprocket 65 on the side of the wheel 54 through a chain 66. The wheel may also be made as shown in Figure 6, in which the interior is solid, as indicated by the numeral 61, and this may be made of wood, cork, or any suitable material. The Wheel 68 shown in Figure '7 may be made of metal or any other material, and the parts may be flanged and secured together by rivets or bolts 69 or any other suitable holding means.

The device may, therefore, be made with an inflated rubber or other tube, or of metal, with the interior filled with air, or with the air withdrawn forming a vacuum, and the tube may, therefore, be provided with a valve 10, as shown in Figure 2, and it will be understood that the valve may either be used to pump air into the device or remove air therefrom. V

The outer surface of the wheel may be smooth, as shown in Figure 2, or may be provided with outwardly extending ribs or fins H, as shown in Figure 1, for providing propelling means, and these may be of any size, shape, or design, and used in combination with the wheels shown in any of the other designs.

It will be understood that other changes may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention. One of which changes may be in the use of an inflated or other wheel having buoying characteristics, another may be in the use of other means for supporting a seat above the wheel, another may be in the use of other means for propelling. or rotating the wheel, and still another may be in the use of a keel or any other type or description.

The construction will be readily understood from the foregoing description. In use the device may be provided in one of the designs as shown and described, and it will be noted that, with the device arranged in this manner, it will support a person sitting upon the seat, with the seat in an upright position, and may be used for sports, pleasure, amusement, or for water polo or fishing, or for any purpose, and, by adjusting the position or weight of the keel, it may be used for a child or for a heavy person, and may be used with a seat with or without a back, and with the feet on the pedals or on a platform, or any other devices may be used in combination therewith, such as a balancing stick, racket or club; and, when in use, it may be propelled by rotating the large wheel, and may be steered or guided by leaning toward either side and at the same time exerting a pressure on the pedal on that or the other side. The tilting in combination with the pressure provide the steering means so that a rudder is unnecessary.

It will also be understood that the seat may be made to stand upright, or may slope backward into an inclined position for reclining by adjusting the position of the keel.

It will also be understood that a figure or.

dummy may be provided on the seat, and the device may be made relatively small so that it may be used as a toy or for any purpose.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A unicycle comprising a circular tubular wheel, a seat mounted above said wheel, a weight forming a keel, means suspending the said weight below said tubular wheel, and means mounted between the seat and tubular wheel and connected to the wheel for rotating the said tubular wheel.

2. A device, as described in claim 1, in which the rotating means comprises pedals, sprockets and chains positively driving said tubular member.

3. A Water unicycle comprising a buoyant wheel, a seat, means supporting said seat above the wheel, a weight secured to said supporting means extending downward into the water below the wheel for holding the wheel and seat in an upright position, and manual means for rotating said wheel.

WALTER E. NILSSON. 

